An Esthetician Explains: Fix Your 10 Biggest Face Washing Mistakes

It’s the end of a long day and evening, and all you want to do is crawl into bed for a good night’s sleep. But first you’ll need to wash away all the pollutants, dirt, make-up and dead skin cells sitting on the surface of your skin.

All that time and effort spent washing your face and yet you might be making some of the biggest face washing mistakes without even realizing it! Let’s correct those mistakes.

Fix Your 10 Biggest Face Washing Mistakes

1. Using the Wrong Cleanser

Choosing the wrong cleanser for your skin could mean the difference between clear skin, moisture loss, or not getting your skin clean at all! Generally, you can choose from cleansers that are cream, foaming, or gel.

If you have acne-prone skin you won’t want to pick up the cream cleanser. And likewise if you have dry skin, the gel cleanser will strip you of needed moisture. You can find easy homemade cleansers for dry, oily and mature skin here.

2. Using Hot Water

Never wash your face with hot water. It can strip your face of natural oils, inflame rosacea, and overall it can be harsh on your skin. Lukewarm water is ideal for cleansing and rinsing.

3. Relying on Facial Wipes

Washing your face should never be substituted with a facial wipe. They can occasionally be used for a quick post-workout wipe down, but they won’t get your pores as clean or thoroughly remove your makeup.

4. Over or Under Cleansing

Twice daily is the recommended number of times to cleanse your skin. Too often and you’re not giving your skin’s pH level enough time to balance, and too seldom means you’re probably leaving behind free radicals from the environment.

5. Under Rinsing

Be sure you’re completely rinsing all of your cleanser off with water. Leaving behind a residue will eventually clog your skin and could interfere with your moisturizer’s absorption.

6. Towel Drying

While there is nothing wrong with using a towel, you’ll want to avoid rubbing your skin dry. Gently patting is ideal after cleansing. Any tugging and rubbing can damage your skin’s elasticity and lead to premature wrinkles.

7. Not Using Eye Makeup Remover

If your cleanser stings your eyes, or doesn’t remove your eye makeup thoroughly, you’ll want a separate eye makeup remover (and it’s easy to make your own!). If you don’t use one, you’ll be tempted to pull and rub the eye makeup off with a washcloth or towel.

Never pull at your lashes to remove mascara, the delicate skin around the eyes is the first to show signs of aging.

8. Stopping Short

Many women and men are great at washing their face but stop short and forget about their jawline and neck. You’ll want to bring that facial cleanser all the way down to your décolleté (where your neckline and chest meet). Just like you’ll want to moisturize and protect that area with sunscreen, you’ll also want to regularly cleanse it.

9. Using Too Much Pressure

Try washing your face in gentle circular motions with just 2-3 fingers of each hand. The more pressure you use does not mean you are getting any cleaner.

10. Waiting to Moisturize

Moisturizer should be applied to damp skin, never wait for your skin to completely dry after washing your face. Following recommendation #6, pat with a towel, but leave your skin damp. This will allow your moisturizer to absorb more easily into your skin.

Are you guilty of any of these mistakes or did you pass with flying colors?

Now that we’ve covered all the don’ts when it comes to face washing, let’s make sure you are washing your face correctly. 

How to Wash Your Face Correctly

Once you’ve figured out the correct cleanser for your skin type, you’ll want to use it properly. A cleansing balm or oil won’t need to be mixed with water before application, but a gel or foaming cleanser will need water. 

Warm it up: After you have your cleanser ready, be sure to warm an oil or balm in the palm of your hand, apply the cleanser in upward and circular strokes to your face and neck.

Cleanse top to bottom: Be sure to cleanse into your hairline and down your necks. Concentrate wherever you may feel congestion beneath the skin.

Don’t rush: Cleansing shouldn’t be rushed, take 1-2 minutes to go over your face and neck while adding water to make sure the cleanser is spread thoroughly.

Rinse properly: Then rinse with lukewarm water, removing all residue of cleanser from your face and neck. You can also remove everything with a warm washcloth, just remember not to tug or rub, instead gently pat dry. 

A second cleanse is always a good idea if you are removing makeup or can still see dirt or discoloration on your washcloth/towel.

Tone & moisturize: After cleansing, apply your toner and/or moisturizer to damp skin and voila! You have successfully cleansed your face, mistake free!